Living a Positive Life By My Rules

My Weight Loss Journey

Hi Dolls so I get asked all the time how I lost all the weight. Well I am ready to give you guys the whole scoop. So lets start from childhood growing up in the 80’s in a Latino family there wasn’t much emphasis on fruits and vegetables. The big things is make sure that baby eats all of their food. When I was four months I had four teeth which made my parents think it was ok to put rice, beans, and ribs in my mouth. I am sure after that there was no way in hell I was going to be eating carrots or squash after tasting some delicious Spanish food. So I grew up a big kid. I remember as a little girl being the biggest in the class. In junior high I had to shop in woman stores because kids clothes did not fit me . I was never passed down clothes because I couldn’t fit anyone else clothes. When I went in to highschool I had to get my school uniform skirts specially made because they were not big enough for me . I remember all the girls in high school when it would get warm would wear knee highs but not Dana . My legs were just too big the knee highs would roll right down. Growing up as the big girl in the crew you get to watch everyone else have their boyfriends here and there while your always the wing man . I was always the girl who got can you hook me up with your friend . Of course just wanting to be wanted I always did the hook up. Being the “FAT” girl in school none of the boys want to date you but they all want you behind classroom doors or behind the bleachers or at night when no one else can see. Believe me I had my fair share of all these plus 50 more. When I finished high school I was a size 26/28. When you go away to college all bets are off the food is horrible you are constantly eating junk and you for sure gain that freshman 10. In my junior year of college I felt like enough was enough and I wanted to take a semester off and get healthy . I went on weight watchers and got a trainer I lost a total of 90 pounds but unfortunately in the my quest for a healthy life I became pregnant with twins and that weight came straight back at the end of my pregnancy I was in a size 30-32 jeans that couldn’t even close on me. Now lets fast forward 4 years and my babies are now in pre-k and all the kids are looking at me like I was an alien. Kids were making fun of me and I knew eventually this would start to hurt my kids. I decide needed to look into the idea of weight loss surgery . I went to different places to hear all of my options. When I heard of the gastric sleeve I decided that was the surgery I felt would work best for me but can you believe I was to big to have surgery . I had to lose weight in order to have this surgery. I was a whopping 490 pounds. I decided I was going to go to do this. I cut out all soda and carbonation beverages from my life immediately COLD TURKEY. Anyone who knew me knew I was obsessed with diet pepsi. I could drink a 2liter or more a day. My next biggest vice was Spanish rice now this I couldn’t let go of so easily. I started cutting it out of my diet . Then I decided nothing but browns, brown rice , wheat bread, and wheat pasta. I was able to loose 60lbs before my surgery as well as prep my body for life after surgery. People think surgery is the easy way out. WELL I can tell you that couldn’t be farther from the truth. I had to make sure that I knew mentally that I was not going to be able to eat the same things again. I really didn’t know what the physical part of me was going to feel yet. My surgery was done but here came the real test life after surgery. Could I really withstand all the urges and temptations around me? My determination was so strong I knew there was no stopping me. I completely changed the way I ate and my mentality about food . I now knew that I wasnt living to eat anymore I was eating to live . I can tell you it has not been easy . My first experience going out with my then boyfriend and friends to eat was horrible I couldn’t eat what they were eating and I left that restaurant in tears mid meal. When my first holidays rolled around and once again being latino we eat nothing but carbs and huge plates. I couldn’t do that nor did I even want to . I had already lost a great amount of weight . I was now able to work out and not feel like I was going to die in a matter of ten minutes. I had completely changed the way I ate. I was eating salads and veggies and drinking only water and counting calories. Now people think that when you get this surgery you cant eat certain things anymore well that’s not true. I know plenty of people who have had the surgery and they eat what they want. They may not be able to eat it in the huge portions they used to but they still eat the bad things .People also think that weight loss surgery is a solution its not its a tool but you choose what you do with that tool. For me I felt like I fought too hard my whole life to reintroduce the bad things back into my body.I NEVER want to go back to what I used to be. I eat healthy i am conscience of what goes in my mouth. I struggle everyday but I refuse to give up.I never want to feel the burning sensation in my thighs from walking one block. I never want to go to a theme park and get turned away from a ride because I am too big. Im not going to say im perfect and I never slip up because that is far from the truth but I can tell you that if I cheat once a blue its not rice or bread or pasta or soda. I have never touched a glass a soda since I let it go. I want to live for my kids. I want to let everyone know it is possible. My body isn’t perfect and it will never be but I do know that I extended my life and I Dont plan on going back. I’m too determined and focused on my future to slip back into old ways. I hope you guys understand where I can from, who I was, and who I am now. Love you dolls 💋

I just stumbled upon your blog and as I usually do when I find a new blog, I read the archives. Thanks for posting this. I am starting with a bariatric program in my area. I can’t have the surgery because I am high risk but I will be on a supervised eating and exercise plan. Congratulations on your weight journey. Your story is so encouraging. Thanks for posting this.